1 / 2Image: Wikimedia Commons
Tsukemono Steak is a local dish from the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture in which napa cabbage pickles are bound with egg and cooked on a griddle or in a pan; locals also call it tsuke-sute. In the depths of winter in Hida, pickles — once a vital source of vegetables — would freeze solid, so people are said to have started placing them on hoba leaves and warming them over the irori hearth to thaw before eating, which is considered the dish's origin. It also served as a resourceful way to make good use of pickles that had turned overly sour from fermenting too long. Despite its name, the dish contains no meat whatsoever, but it is thought to be called a steak because the sizzling sound as it cooks on a griddle, along with its appearance and the way it's eaten, evokes an actual steak. Today it is a standard menu item at nearly every izakaya in Hida-Takayama, enjoyed by tourists both as a side dish with drinks and as an accompaniment to rice.
Origin
In the Hida region, there has long been a custom of grilling pickles before eating them. In the depths of the harsh winter, pickles — a vital source of vegetables — would sometimes freeze solid, and placing them on hoba leaves to warm over the irori hearth fire to thaw them out is said to be how the dish began.
History
It also developed as a resourceful way to fully use up pickles that had turned overly sour after fermenting too long, with each household passing down its own variations on the recipe. Today it has moved beyond home cooking to become a signature dish served at nearly every izakaya in Hida-Takayama.
Features
The typical preparation involves chopping napa cabbage pickles, binding them with egg, seasoning with butter or soy sauce, and stir-frying on a griddle. A soft, runny egg that clings to the pickles is considered especially delicious, and the seasoning and degree of cooking vary from shop to shop and household to household.
Main Ingredients
Famous Shops
気軽な大衆居酒屋 あじ平
岐阜県高山市初田町1-34
A casual, retro-Showa-style izakaya. A course featuring six Hida specialties starts at 1,280 yen (minimum four people).
View details →| 山味屋 漬物ステーキ（しょうゆ味） | A processed pickle product made by Yamamiya, a long-established pickle shop in Hida-Takayama, that lets you make Tsukemono Steak at home just by stir-frying it. Available at souvenir shops and through mail order. |
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FAQ
Q. Why is it called a 'steak' when it contains no meat?
A. It is thought to have been named for the way the pickles sizzle on the griddle, along with the appearance and manner of eating created by binding them with egg, which evokes an actual steak. No meat is used at all.